Founder & Executive Director of FāVS News, a nonprofit newsroom covering religion, ethics, and communities across the Greater Northwest. Journalism professor at Washington State University's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. 🚴https://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3muwxynfp7c2bWendell Berry was one of those writers who changed how I think about place, community and what it means to live well. This FāVS reflection on Berry's “conservative gospel” — place, limits and grace — really resonated with me. https://favs.news/wendell-berry-conservative-gospel-place-limits-grace/07 Sep 2026 16:55 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3muwxynfp7c2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3musvr7lzkk2vLove seeing our stories in RNS! [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 Sep 2026 02:05 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3musvr7lzkk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3musqfjayl22qFāVS News is the only U.S. newsroom devoted solely to local religion news. Our campaign to raise $5,000 is off to a slow start. If our coverage has meant something to you, this is a good week to chip in. favs-news.fundjournalism.org/supportfavs/ https://favs-news.fundjournalism.org/supportfavs/06 Sep 2026 00:29 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3musqfjayl22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mupg3visdc2lThis is a fascinating story from FāVS reporter Micah Yip about a growing movement of Christian men-only gyms — and the very different ideas of masculinity and faith behind them. It's also prompted some thoughtful questions about how we cover communities we can't always get inside. bit.ly/4gN1vhp https://favs.news/christian-men-only-gyms-masculinity-faith/04 Sep 2026 16:46 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupg3visdc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mumzi4x4ks2lWhat if science and religion aren’t opposites? In this FāVS column, Bahá’í writer Sarah Haug explores the idea that the two can work together in the search for truth — and what that might look like. A different perspective on a familiar debate: https://favs.news/science-religion-harmony-bahai-teachings/03 Sep 2026 17:55 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumzi4x4ks2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mu5rdfweac2gFirst week back teaching has been a whirlwind. I’m behind on emails, behind on projects, and somehow haven’t ridden my bike once. Add an 8-month-old to the mix and… 😅 Trying to remind myself that getting through the week counts as an accomplishment, too.28 Aug 2026 16:19 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu5rdfweac2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mtywsa6ct22nThis FāVS story is getting some national attention today. LifeWise Academy, the Bible-based program that takes public school students off campus for religious instruction during the school day, is expanding rapidly across the Pacific Northwest. bit.ly/4xYUwsB https://bit.ly/4xYUwsB26 Aug 2026 18:14 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtywsa6ct22nhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mtwtlfry322bOne thing that's struck me in covering the Spokane wildfires: churches aren't just responding to the immediate crisis, but are already thinking about the long recovery. I talked with NWPB about how faith communities are helping—and what comes next. bit.ly/4xnmfn9 https://bit.ly/4xnmfn925 Aug 2026 22:11 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwtlfry322bhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mtugic2xa22mFirst day of classes: ✅ Emails answered: absolutely not Tasks completed: lol Desk reorganized with the precision of a NASA launch:✅ Am I incredibly behind? Yes. BUT my desk has never been more ready to support the academic comeback I am apparently not currently having.24 Aug 2026 23:11 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtugic2xa22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mtjibdqbp225Today at noon Pacific: I'm joining Cassy Benefield + Emma Maple for the Religion News Association's conversation about the FāVS model and building a sustainable journalism community. If you're interested in nonprofit/local journalism, we'd love to have you join us: bit.ly/4bU6WJP https://bit.ly/4bU6WJP20 Aug 2026 14:44 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjibdqbp225https://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mthmlqip5k2sGood news: I was selected as a 2026 Reporting on Religion Microgrant Recipient through RDRP + Reporting on Religion! The grant will support reporting on a rural congregation in Forks, WA. I'm excited to dig into rural religion—a part of Washington that doesn't get nearly enough religion reporting.19 Aug 2026 20:56 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mthmlqip5k2shttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mt5a7blalk2hWhat can a small nonprofit newsroom teach the rest of journalism about building community? I'll be talking about that Thursday in a Religion News Association webinar: "The FāVS Model." I'll be joined by FāVS editor Cassy Benefield + reporter Emma Maple. Noon Pacific. Register: bit.ly/4bU6WJP https://bit.ly/4bU6WJP15 Aug 2026 17:48 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt5a7blalk2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mt2srwsnck2aImportant piece from FāVS columnist Lisa Ormond on supporting #Spokane #wildfire survivors. Her family lost a home in the 2017 Tubbs Fire. Her advice: show up, listen, be patient—and don't disappear when the crisis is over. bit.ly/4xDMIMN https://bit.ly/4xDMIMN14 Aug 2026 18:42 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2srwsnck2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3msyevp7bqs2pWhile I was away, FāVS News had an exciting week—including a co-published story with @sojo.net One of my favorite things about building a nonprofit religion newsroom is seeing our reporters' work reach audiences beyond our own site. Proud of this collaboration! bit.ly/4xFZSJf https://bit.ly/4xFZSJf13 Aug 2026 19:29 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3msyevp7bqs2phttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3msqztnxsl22pFittingly, the Catholic Church in the North Pole is named Saint Nicholas. Had to pause the family vacation for a pic!10 Aug 2026 21:22 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqztnxsl22phttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3msjdmr4e3c2yIt finally happened. Someone asked if I was my kid’s grandma.07 Aug 2026 19:56 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3msjdmr4e3c2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3ms7k5obq322eI've been thinking about stillness lately—perhaps because I'm about to head to Alaska for a little vacation. I wrote about what I'm learning about the spiritual art of being still for FāVS. https://favs.news/learning-the-spiritual-art-of-stillness/03 Aug 2026 22:26 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms7k5obq322ehttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3ms4lyjq3k22tOne of our own lost his home in yesterday's devastating Spokane-area fires. We've started a GoFundMe to help our FāVS News reporter and his family begin to rebuild. If you can give or share, we'd be incredibly grateful. gofund.me/d3a0a0429 https://gofund.me/d3a0a042902 Aug 2026 18:21 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms4lyjq3k22thttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mrztm4apjs2iAnother little FāVS milestone: one of our stories was republished by The Christian Century this week. 🎉 We're a small nonprofit newsroom, so seeing our reporting picked up by publications we respect is pretty darn exciting. https://www.christiancentury.org/news/how-rural-churches-pacific-northwest-are-sharing-pastors-across-denominations01 Aug 2026 15:59 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrztm4apjs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mrxk6sxfn22qA reality many outside Jewish communities may not realize: security has become a significant part of the cost of gathering & worshipping. Read: how Jewish communities across WA are responding to persistent antisemitic threats & what those security demands mean for congregational life. bit.ly/45uUtbU https://bit.ly/45uUtbU31 Jul 2026 18:05 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrxk6sxfn22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mrvirvrhnc2qOne thing I've learned running a nonprofit newsroom: Partnerships are how local journalism grows.30 Jul 2026 22:35 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrvirvrhnc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mrvapzx3i22qExcited about a new partnership! Presbyterian Outlook will begin publishing one FāVS News story each month as they expand PNW coverage. Collaboration > competition.30 Jul 2026 20:11 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrvapzx3i22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mrsahprruk2sLooking forward to joining a religion journalism panel at #SPJ26 this fall. Excited to talk about the challenges—and opportunities—of covering faith and religion in today's media landscape. bit.ly/4fBXyvE https://bit.ly/4fBXyvE29 Jul 2026 15:28 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrsahprruk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/reportertracy.bsky.social/post/3mrponbyplk2bRural churches across Washington are finding creative ways to keep ministry alive—including sharing pastors across congregations. New from FāVS News on how faith communities are adapting to changing realities. bit.ly/4xc3NNU https://bit.ly/4xc3NNU28 Jul 2026 15:04 +0000at://did:plc:eylestsmfr7r3wejenezpkh3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrponbyplk2b